Photo 1- The author pointing to the fully
exposed sheet of back sinew found on top of the backstrap. This is
the right backstrap; the left backstrap is on the other side of the
spine but is not shown in the photo.

Photo 2- The backstrap sinew, partially exposed. Note the thin layer
of muscle at the bottom of the photo that has been partially peeled
away to expose the underlying backstrap.

Photo 3- After long cuts are made along the spine, the backstrap is pulled away
and cut free from the top of the ribcage using a sharp knife. Removal of the
right backstrap is being shown here.

Photo 4- The knife is now used to cut underneath the backstrap to free it from
the deer. Note the angle of the knife is 90 degrees to the original cut made
in photo 3. This cut will separate the backstrap from the top of the ribs.

Photo 5- With sinew side down, a dull butter knife is used to slice through the
backstrap to the sinew. Sharp knives should not be used because they will cut
into the sinew and damage it.

Photo 6- When the sinew is reached, hold the knife at a 90-degree angle and gently
scrape the meat away, exposing the sinew. Continue scraping the meat away until
half the sinew is freed from the backstrap.

Photo 7- Then, flip the backstrap over, and pull the sinew while gently scraping
the sinew free from the meat.

Photo 8- Place the sinew on a smooth surface and scrape off any remaining meat
with the same dull knife held at a 90-degree angle. Allow sinew to dry.

Photo 9- Place the sinew on a smooth surface and scrape off any remaining meat
with the same dull knife held at a 90-degree angle. Allow sinew to dry.

Photo 10- Carefully cut the skin around the toes to avoid damaging the underlying
tendons and peel the skin off the lower leg. This photo shows the lower leg
with the skin removed.

Photo 11- Use a sharp knife to cut between the tendon and leg bone. Do not cut
the tendon at the toes.

Photo 12- Most people will cut the sinew here, below the knee joint. Don’t!

Photo 13- Instead, cut the tendons above the knee joint, as this will provide
a few more inches of usable sinew. When this cut has been made, pull the tendons
through the knee and then cut them free at the toes.

Photo 14- Here the tendons are cut above the knee joint of the rear leg.

Photo 15- Shown are the tendons from the rear leg, laid in place. This shows
the extra sinew length gained by cutting the tendons above the knee joint and
then pulling the tendons through the knee.

Photo 16- Hanging the sinew in front of a fan helps to speed drying. Keep it
in a locked room, as fresh sinew is irresistible to dogs.

Photo 17- Two strands of sinew. The upper strand has been soaked in water for
20 hours; the bottom has been soaked and then chewed. The chewed strand is
lighter in color and much softer than the unchewed sinew, indicating it is
thoroughly rehydrated.

A common question among primitive bowyers, especially beginners,
is, “What is sinew and how do you get it?” This article will
not be a tutorial on how to butcher an entire deer; instead it will show
the process for sinew removal. These techniques can be applied to other
animals such as antelope, elk, moose, and buffalo.

First off, sinew is
just another word for tendons. Tendons are the strong, silverywhite
connective tissue that attach muscle to bone. Ligaments are essentially
tendons, the difference being that they attach bone to bone and are of
very short length, making them unusable for our purposes.

There are two
different types of sinew used by primitive archers: back sinew and
leg sinew. Back sinew lies in a flat ribbon on top of each backstrap,
found on either side of the spine in quadrupeds (photo 1). The backstrap
is the filet mignon, and these long, tender muscles provide the longest
sinew found in the deer. The backstraps must be removed whole and the
sinew removed from them before they are cut into steaks, otherwise the
sinew will be ruined. When I process a deer, I hang it with the head
up. This makes skinning and butchering easier for me, so keep this in
mind as I describe the process. Many hunters hang their deer by the back
legs using a gambrel. Either way works.

Removal of Back Sinew
To remove the backstraps, you must first skin the deer. After skinning,
you may be surprised when you don’t see two exposed backstraps
on either side of the spine; they are actually hidden under a thin
layer of muscle that must be peeled away to expose them (photo 2).
After the deer is skinned, use a sharp knife to cut lengthwise
along each side of the spine, similar to filleting a fish. These initial
cuts are made along either side of the spinous processes (these are the “fins” of
bone that protrude from each vertebra. You can feel your own if you look
down and feel for the bumps on the back of your neck). When I make these
initial cuts, I make them long, going about one-third up the neck and
down into the hindquarter as far as possible. This guarantees against
accidentally cutting the back sinew too short.

Continue deepening each
cut until you hit the top of the ribs. Once the ribs are encountered,
begin pulling the meat away from the cut, using the knife to cut the
backstrap free from the ribs (photo 3). Once the backstraps are partially
freed from the ribs, cut across them at the uppermost incision (across
the neck if the deer is hung head-up). You will then cut underneath the
backstrap to free it from the top of the ribs (photo 4). This is an easy
process because the backstraps are only held in place with minimal connective
tissue. Continue cutting just above the ribs until the entire backstrap
is free from the carcass. You should now have an intact “tube” of
meat that contains an unbroken sheet of sinew. Repeat the process for
the other backstrap.

To remove the sinew, place the backstrap on a cutting board
with the sinew side down. Use a very dull knife (a butter knife is ideal)
to cut through the backstrap until you reach the sinew (photo 5). Do
not use a sharp knife for this step because it can easily cut into the
sinew and damage it. Once the sinew is reached, hold the knife at a 90
degree angle and begin scraping the meat away from the sinew while separating
the meat with your fingers (photo 6). Continue scraping the backstrap
free from the sinew until that portion of the backstrap is removed
from the sheet of sinew.

Then flip the backstrap over so the sinew side is up. Gently
pull on the sinew and scrape the meat free until the entire piece of
back sinew is removed (photo 7). To remove any adhering meat or fat,
place the sinew on the cutting board and, using the same dull butter
knife held at 90 degrees, scrape any remaining meat and fat off the sinew
(photo 8). Again, avoid using a sharp knife as it will cut into the sinew.
When the sinew is clean, allow it to dry, and it will last indefinitely
until it is needed.

Removal of Leg Sinew

Use a sharp knife to
cut through the skin on the inside of each leg, beginning at the toes
and proceeding well above the knee joint (photo 9). Use caution when
slicing the skin to make sure you don’t accidentally cut into the
tendons and damage them. Once this initial cut is made, cut very carefully
around the toes so the skin can be peeled away from the lower legs, exposing
the sinew. Be very careful when making this cut around the toes; you
only want to cut the skin, not the underlying tendons. Once the toe cut
is made, use your knife to begin separating the skin from the toes, working
toward the knee joint. When enough skin has been freed from the toes,
simply grab the skin and peel it off toward the knee joint, exposing
the underlying tissues (photo 10).

The leg tendons come in long “rods” on the front
and back of each leg, meaning that each leg will provide two pieces of
sinew. Use a sharp knife to cut between the sinew and the leg bone, again
being careful not to cut into the tendons themselves (photo 11). Do this
for both tendons on each leg (front and back). Do NOT cut the tendons
free at the toes at this point.

Most people just cut the sinew off below the knee joint
(photo 12). Don’t! If you cut the tendons above the knee joint
you will gain several more inches of usable sinew that would otherwise
be wasted. After the initial long cuts have been made along each leg
bone, follow the tendons above the knee joint to find where they enter
the muscle and cut them there (photo 13). Then, the sinew can be pulled
away from the leg bone and pulled through the knee. Once this tendon
is pulled through the knee, cut it free at the toes. The tendon on the
rear of the back legs is covered by a sheath; the tendon itself goes
through a hole whereas the sheath does not. This means the sheath will
have to be cut a few inches shorter than the tendon. Cut through the
sheath and notice how the tendon goes through the bone at the knee joint;
cut through the sheath at the knee joint, and then cut the sinew where
it enters the muscle several inches above the knee joint (photo 14).
Cutting the sinew above the knee joint will produce leg sinew approaching
the length of back sinew. This long leg sinew can be used for wrapping
stone points or feathers onto arrows and even for sewing.

If your only source of deer legs are those obtained from
a processor, oftentimes the legs will be cut below the knee joint with
a bone saw. Unfortunately, this also cuts the tendons into shorter lengths.
They are still usable, and if that is your only source of sinew then
by all means use them. But if you have the opportunity to obtain sinew
from intact deer, the abovementioned method for sinew removal will provide
considerably longer leg tendons (photo 15).

Drying and Storing Sinew
The easiest way to store sinew is to let it dry, then store it in a container
of some sort. The tendons can be placed on a screen or hung on a cord
to allow full air circulation, but I prefer to dry my tendons by hanging
them in front of a fan (photo 16). This speeds drying, especially in
humid regions. Thicker leg sinew may need to be split in half to help
it dry, especially where it entered the hooves. Once dry, the sinew
can be stored in a bag or cloth sack. However, I’ve had problems
with moths finding my sinew stash and larvae have begun eating it if
it isn’t used after several months. The safest way to store your
sinew is in airtight Tupperware or comparable plastic containers with
a tight-fitting lid. If you do find moth larvae in your sinew, freeze
the sinew to kill any eggs/larvae and then store it in a Tupperware
container.

Helpful Hints on Using Sinew
I prefer to use sinew from large, mature animals as opposed to younger
ones. Back sinew from young deer is not as strong as sinew from mature
deer, and I’ve had it pull apart when it is being tightly wrapped
on an arrow. Leg tendons tend to be much stronger due to their constant
use when thedeer was alive. Leg sinew can be wrapped
tightly around a stone point without pulling apart, and when dry it will
become an almost permanent binding. If the back sinew came from a yearling
deer, it will still work, just be careful not to pull it too tightly
when wrapping. Soaking sinew threads prior to use is good, but no amount
of soaking will thoroughly soften the sinew; to get it
totally soft, it must be chewed (photo 17). Chewing fully hydrates the
sinew, making it easier to use for wrapping. When it is fully hydrated,
it is also stretched to its maximum length, meaning maximum shrinkage
when it dries. Chewed sinew is much neater and stronger when it dries
compared with sinew that was only soaked before applying.

This next tip
comes from my friend David Knight of North Carolina. When pounding
leg sinew, it will flatten. Turn it on edge, and pound it flat again.
But before separating the dry sinew into fibers, soak the pounded sinew
in warm water for several minutes. When the sinew has softened, pull
the sinew apart starting at the center of the bundle and work toward
the ends. The soaked sinew is less likely to rip apart at the ends and
the strands will be more uniform than sinew that is pulled apart dry.